Sound & Video Contractor - June 2020

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JUNE 2020 issue of

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JUNE 2020 // VOLUME 38 // ISSUE 6

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SOUND&VIDEO

CONTRACTOR

R E V I E W S | T E C H N O LO GY | A P P L I C AT I O N S PRODUCT-AT-WORK SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION

REMOTE RESILIENCE EVERYTHING IS A VIDEOCONFERENCE TECH SHOWCASES

* ACOUSTICS AND SOUND MASKING * MIXING CONSOLES AND AUDIO PROCESSORS

contents

JUNE 2020 // VOLUME 38 // ISSUE 6

34

FEATURES

6 | O n the Circuit

32 | R emote Resilience: Everything

12 | Acoustics and Soundmasking

is a videoconference

The SVC Interview

With Bennet Liles

Greater Baltimore Medical Center depends on livestreaming to communicate with employees and the public

Tech Showcases

41

Pro AV tools —from soundbars to production switchers—are powering our professional and personal lives.

34 | F rontline Communication

By Chief Editor Cynthia Wisehart

32

By Bennett Liles

20 | Mixing Consoles and Audio Processors

By Mary Bakija

Audio Expertise

30 | Z oom(ing) Better Audio with Pro Hacks

By Steve La Cerra

Supplements

41 | Supplement: Signal Distribution Sound & Video Contractor, Volume 38 Issue 6, (ISSN 0741-1715) is published monthly by Future US, Inc., 11 West 42nd Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10036.

Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Sound & Video Contractor, PO Box 8608, Lowell, MA 01853. One year subscription (12 issues) is $39. Outside U.S. is $79. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40612608. Canada return address: Pitney Bowes International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. ©2020 Future US, Inc.

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on the circuit

Vol. 38 No. 6

June 2020

WWW.SVCONLINE.COM

N

By Cynthia Wisehart

Find me online cynthia.wisehart@ futurenet.com www.svconline.com/proavtoday and www.rebelmouse.com/ SVC_Online

ecessity is the mother of the videoconference.

AV has always been there. Much of what we are doing now to survive—both professionally and personally-we could have done before.

In some cases remote and virtual experiences are a poor substitute, so we naturally preferred the bricks and mortar. But other things will suit some of us better. My high schooler likes remote school and wishes it had always been a part of her scene—not all remote, but some. My yoga studio has realized they’ve invented a solution to their continually sold out studio classes; they’re looking forward to keeping the new revenue stream. I may never go to the grocery store again. Instacart was always there. How did I miss that?

AV has always had to deal with some form of reluctance to adopt. We can explain the benefits of AV to people, but we can’t understand it for them. That’s just a reality and part of natural reluctance to change--being too busy to change, or being paid to do things a certain way and not wanting to rock the boat.

Now the boat is pitching and yawing. We have had to change.

So in the last two months—has it only been two months?—AV is a lifeline for so many, even as our own lifelines—live sound, theme parks, museums, theaters, restaurants, and stadiums are painfully, temporarily, out of reach--and much missed by the entire world.

I look everyday for projects that can still go forward— SoFi Stadium in my hometown will soon be one of the most impressive venues of any kind in the world, and one of the biggest digital communication platforms ever built. Dodger Stadium, which I can see from my house on a clear day (we’ve had a lot of those), will reopen reimagined. The plan to support its role as a live sound venue looks pretty spectacular.

It’s a strange time of so much pain and so much potential.

Sorrow and gratitude, optimism and frustration. The pain in live sound is extra real in my family due to my brother in law being Live Nation. And if I think about it, I can become desperate for things I love, things that are still awhile from coming back.

Sometimes I just binge watch old concerts on YouTube and have a cry (and sometimes a laugh).

I hope everyone’s balance is bearable, and if it’s not, I hope it will become so. I hope we will all have the strength we need to hang on, to be of service as possible, and to get to the opportunity and potential to come--in world that really, really needs what we do.

FOLLOW US @SVC_Online https://www.facebook.com/svconline CONTENT VP/Content Creation Anthony Savona Content Director Cynthia Wisehart, cynthia.wisehart@futurenet.com Contributors Bennett Liles Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban Production Managers Nicole Schilling, Heather Tatrow ADVERTISING SALES VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer Electronics & Pro Audio Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Sales Prahlad Balasubramanian, prahlad.balasubramanian@futurenet.com, 307-222-6950 Janis Crowley, janis.crowley@futurenet.com, 845-414-6791 Debbie Rosenthal, debbie.rosenthal@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Zahra Majma, zahra.majma@futurenet.com, 845-678-3752 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.mysvcmag. com and click on About Us, email futureplc@ computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 8608, Lowell, MA 01853.

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Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities.

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All contents © 2020 Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

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Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

the buzz CASE STUDY / AIRPORT OPERATIONS

VISUAL OPS Dubai International (DXB) in the United Arab Emirates is the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, handling more than 88 million passengers a year. It is the third-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic. The airport is the home base of Dubai’s international airlines, Emirates airline and flydubai. There are over 7700 weekly flights operated by 80 airlines to over 240 destinations across all inhabited continents.

Dubai Airport’s new Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) houses several teams managing airport operations 24/7.

Dubai audio-visual integrator Aesthetix was appointed to design and integrate a stateof-the-art audio-visual solution for the new AOCC control room. The objective was to provide a user-friendly, flexible video wall solution for operators to view live visuals and data for monitoring and colfrom the wire laborative decision-making.

For more case studies, visit The AOCC MediaWall-based svconline.com/the-wire.

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video wall centralizes an extensive volume of visuals and data to enhance situational awareness. Operators can collaboratively view information for daily management and planning.

The MediaWall V processor receives input from surveillance cameras, and computer system displays covering dynamic flight information, passenger and baggage status, check-in and boarding information, weather, access control and other data. The MediaWall V processor consolidates these diverse sources and displays them in windows of any size, anywhere on the video wall array. The processor’s advanced features include overlapping images, window borders and titles, and pan and zoom, allowing an operator to view items of particular interest.

Aesthetix selected RGB Spectrum’s MediaWall V 4K display processor to power the AOCC’s massive 55 screen video wall with an eye to image quality, real-time responsiveness

and embedded architecture, which reduces the vulnerabilities of hacking and tampering of PC-based processors.

The processor is controlled by RGB Spectrum’s VIEW Controller, which simplifies the video wall operation. The VIEW Controller’s intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) provides easy “drag and drop” selection and routing of any source. Live thumbnails of all sources provide visual aids for managing workflow. Sources can even be previewed prior to routing. Operators can choose from up to 60 preset window layouts. VIEW Controller does not require custom programming, so it is both quick to implement and cost-effective. It provides access based on user privileges that allow or restrict access to features, supporting multiple users with configurable levels of access.

the buzz CASE STUDY / STREAMING

WORK FROM HOME RealmSmith.tv is a popular Toronto, ON based live streaming and tabletop gaming company, and “Into the Mist” features improvised live play of Dungeons & Dragons’ “Curse of Strahd” campaign setting. Jason Azevedo, founder and president of RealmSmith.tv, acts as Dungeon Master alongside weekly players gathered around an immersive table setup, where players and viewers are made to feel they are part of the game experience. Joel Augé, co owner of RealmSmith.tv, manages all aspects of the stream’s production and workflow.

When RealmSmith.tv embarked on “Into the Mist,” they decided to produce the show as a multi-camera live stream to keep viewers entertained throughout the episodes. They invested in an ATEM Television Studio HD live production switcher, two Blackmagic Micro Cinema Cameras, and two Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera from the wire 4Ks to achieve a more cinematic feel.

For more case studies, visit They later incorporated two addisvconline.com/the-wire.

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tional Pocket Cinema Camera 4Ks for more camera angles.

“A lot of live streams are based on a single, frontal view where players call in from their own homes with webcams; we wanted ‘Into the Mist’ to show everyone in the same room with multiple camera angles and proper lighting,” said Azevedo. “That’s how we separate ourselves.”

Two of the Pocket Cinema Camera 4Ks capture front shots, one pointing at the Dungeon Master and the other for the entire table of six players. The other two Pocket Cinema Camera 4Ks look across and over players’ shoulders.

Additionally, RealmSmith.tv uses an ATEM Television Studio HD to switch between the cameras and to map out sequences of camera changes and animations.

When the team has to stream remotely, Augé uses a Blackmagic Web Presenter to power his workflow from home. “It’s been a workhorse, helping us deliver a high quality stream even when battling lower bandwidth situations,” said Augé.

Following each week’s three hour Twitch live streams, RealmSmith.tv uses DaVinci Resolve Studio’s cut page to create a recap for the beginning of each show on their YouTube channels.

“We go through the full stream the day after a show goes live and highlight markers and times in the episode that we want to emphasize in the recar,” said Augé. “The editor takes the live stream files and brings them into DaVinci Resolve Studio’s timeline, using the cut page to edit together the recap.”

RealmSmith.tv also used DaVinci Resolve Studio’s to create the popular intro to the “Into the Mist” series, an animated sequence that reveals each player, blending together their real life selves with their characters. The team relied on the edit page’s Retime Curve tool to create the dramatic effect of smoke going through the characters during the intro. They then modified the video’s speed by mapping out different segments of audio with markers and then timed the video clips to the music.

TECH SHOWCASE

ACOUSTICS AND SOUND MASKING

By Bennett Liles

The art and science of acoustics and sound masking has made huge strides in the past decade. The advances in Acoustic aesthetics, ease of installation Geometry Pro and active applications Room Pack 12 have gone beyond what was previously considered the fringe of practical possibility. New materials and active components now provide the imagination with real world tools to let creativity fly. Passive absorption panels, bass traps and ceiling clouds are being combined into active systems that can reproduce the sound character of a wide range of showplaces all within the same venue. In the office world, sound masking systems have boosted productivity by reducing fatigue and enhancing privacy.

Available in any of the company’s Basic fabrics, Acoustic Geometry’s Pro Room Pack 12 includes eight 2x4ft. wall panels, six fabric wrapped 2x4ft. ceiling clouds, twelve medium curve diffusers and four CornerSorbers. These provide phase-coherent diffusion, low frequency mode mitigation and broadband sound absorption. Fabric options include a wide range of colors and decorative patterns.

Hardware packs are included to assist in mounting the components to walls and ceilings. Acoustic Geometry also offers acoustic insulating materials, adhesives and pipe wrap as well as acoustic wall art.

The FulFill Acoustical Panel from Acoustical Fulfillment is designed to control flutter echo, room reflections, slap back and overall reverberation time in rooms fitted with them.

Applications can extend from recording studios to videoconferencing facilities with absorption corresponding to panel size and thickness which can range from ½ inch to 4 inches. The fabric wrapped panels are avail-

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able in sizes up to 4x12ft. and they can be purchased in custom shapes for mounting on walls, ceilings and in corners for bass trapping. Mounting hardware options include impaling clips for walls, Rotorfast Snap-on anchors and corner impaling clips. Panel edges may be square, beveled or reverse mitered. All components have a Class A rating per ASTM E84 and the fabrics may be cleaned with all conventional upholstery cleaning systems.

Available in standard or custom sizes up to 4x10 feet and thicknesses of 1 or 2inches, Acoustical Solutions AlphaSorb FR701 Acoustic Panels provide sound reduction and reverberation control. These are made to order for broadcast studios, theaters, churches and other facilities requiring acousAcoustical tics treatment and improvements in Solutions speech intelligibility. Thicknesses AlphaSorb of 1 and 2in. are standard and cus-

Acoustical Fulfillment FulFill Acoustical Panel

TECH SHOWCASE

Acoustical Surfaces Echo Eliminator

Acoustics First Cutting Wedge Classic Acoustic Foam Panel

AtlasIED Z2-B

ASI Architectural StrandTec Panel

tom thicknesses can range from 1/2in. to 4in.

Fabric colors cover the entire Guilford fabric FR701 Style 2100 series line with dozens of colors from which to choose. These panels are constructed from a 6-7 pound per cubic foot acoustical fiberglass substrate and their edges can be square, beveled, radius, or mitered.

Acoustical Surfaces has the Echo Eliminator, a unit composed of bonded acoustical cotton that can be surface attached or used as a hanging baffle. Class A fire rated and 100% recyclable, the Echo Eliminator is a low cost solution that is lightweight, simple to install and relocatable, allowing them to be used again after room renovation or remodeling.

There are six standard color options and the standard size is 2ft. x 4ft. but custom sizes include 12in. x 12in., 2ft. x 2ft., 4ft. x 4ft., and 4ft. x 8ft. The panels weigh 2lb. per cubic foot in 1in. thickness and 6lb. per cubic foot in 2in. thickness.

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Acoustics First designed their Cutting Wedge Classic Acoustic Foam Panels to reduce reflections and create seamless absorptive walls. Each panel is created with open cell Polyurethane foam with a density of 2lb. per cubic foot and can be installed with construction adhesive approved for foam. The flammability rating meets UL94HF-1, the smoke density is 340 and the tensile strength is 20psi. The panels are available in 1ft. x 1ft. and 2ft. x 4ft. sizes, charcoal color and in thicknesses of 2in., 3in., and 4in.

StrandTec panels from ASI Architectural are composed of Cementitious wood fiber to provide both sound absorption and thermal insulation. The fire resistant panels can be directly attached to walls using mechanical fasteners, they can be laid into support as ceiling panels or freely hung as sound baffles.

They can be purchased in a variety of colors and shapes to add style to their acoustic prop-

erties. Each panel is rated Class A per ASTM E-84 and weighs from 2lb. to 4lb. depending on panel thickness. There are a wide range of edge styles.

AtlasIED has a small business sound masking system in the Z2-B 2-Zone High Definition Acoustical System. At the lighter end of the company’s Z Series, the Z2-B also handles paging and background music. With two zones at 70V output, the system can operate in any of several modes. One provides two-zone indirect field sound masking for spaces up to 7000 square feet. Another provides single zone sound masking while in third mode one zone can be used for indirect sound masking and the other for paging and background music.

The Auralex Acoustics ProPanel ProKit-2 acoustical treatment package is composed of ASTM-E84 Class A fire-rated, fabric wrapped, fiberglass ProPanels. Each kit includes twelve

TECH SHOWCASE

Auralex Acoustics ProPanel ProKit-2

Biamp Cambridge DynasoundPro

d&b audiotehnik DS100 2in. x 2ft. x 4ft. beveled edge wall panels and six reverse mitered corner bass traps. For addressing the particular needs of specific rooms, additional ProPanel Cloud and monitor isolation solutions can be used. Panels are available with fabric coverings in Obsidian, Sandstone, SonoSuede Black, SonoSuede Red, SonoSuede Brown and SonoSuede Tan. The kit is designed to treat rooms up to 15ft. x 18ft.

The Biamp Cambridge DynasoundPRO sound masking system can address each speaker

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individually on a network for remote tuning and setup. Equipped with eight audio network channels and four internal sound masking generators, the system allows the user to send paging and music to a selected zone, speaker or over the entire system. Configuration is done through the Privacy Manager software and PoE substantially simplifies installation. The system includes speakers, the DS8000 loudspeaker controller, DSPoE24 network switch and a paging and music interface as well as other units for customized space configuration.

d&b Soundscape from d&b audiotechnik combines d&b loudspeaker systems with processing power, object-based mixing and sophisticated room emulation. At the center of the system is the DS100 signal engine with Dante networking and a 64 by 64 level and delay matrix. This can operate with two optional software modules - En-Scene for precise object placement and movement for up to 64 sound objects, and En-Space for room emulation, which can create and modify reverberation signatures. These reverberation signatures are emulations derived from acoustic measurements of seven internationally renowned performance venues and convolved within the audio processor to provide a variety of acoustic space choices.

The GeerFab Acoustics MultiZorber OC703DR can be used as a wall panel, a ceilingmounted cloud or as a corner bass trap. Composed of 2in. thick Owens Corning 703 fiberglass substrate, enclosed in a bag made of acoustically transparent Guilford FR701 fabric on the front and nylon sailcloth on the back. The D-ring mounting system on the rear surface simplifies installation GeerFab in any of the panel’s MultiZorber three positioning OC703DR options. Available in Guilford FR701 Bone, Coin and Black, the 2in. thick items can be purchased in either 24in. x 48in. or 24in. x 24in. size. Each is Class A rated and weighs under 6lbs.

The 2A Alpha Pro Series panel Diffuser/ Absorber from GIK Acoustics is made of rigid fiberglass absorption material that can be wrapped in a wide variety of fabric coverings and these are overlaid with an exterior plate which has a mathematical sequence of slots for either one-dimensional scattering/diffusion or two-dimensional scattering/diffusion.

MULTIOUTPUT DC POWER DISTRIBUTION TECH SHOWCASE

GIK Acoustics 2A Alpha Pro Series Panel Diffuser/ Absorber

and monitored with a Graphic User Interface (GUI) and it is capable of responding to local, remote or infrared control. It is also UL 2572 standard compliant to interface with the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) and shut down or mute the sound masking in the event of a fire emergency.

Its open source design allows easy integration with building-wide systems and the zone control has overlap capability. The Music Page Interface (MPI.) can make zone additions, modifications, deletions and other changes to the paging system on the fly.

The LogiSon Acoustic Network provides sound masking with fine control over volume and frequency by using small adjustment zones of one to three speakers. This allows the system to operate in a much more subtle and unobtrusive manner. The TARGET tuning process automatically tunes each zone to the desired sound masking spectrum and it generates a detailed report for performance verification. Run from a panel or from a PC equipped with the Acoustic Network Manager LogiSon Sound Masking System software, the system can also use programmable keypads and remotes to allow individual local room control. Paging and Panels can be selected in square, narrow or rectangle shapes and there are six panels music are operated independently from sound to each box. They are designed to provide masking setup.

The SMGA-25 Sound Masking Generator absorption and an even decay time between low and high frequencies and the panels are from Lowell Manufacturing uses a Pre-EQ and Post-EQ line level (~500mV) pink noise free of formaldehyde or urea formaldehyde.

Lencore designed their i.Net Networked signal from either an 8ohm or 70V output.

Sound Masking System to handle the needs Local EQ controls allow signal adjustment in of sound masking, paging and audio bass, mid and treble ranges. Paging and backin multiple zones. The system ground music can be added through the high can be centrally accessed impedance auxiliary input with its own level Lencore i.Net Sound Masking Headend

with universal mounting brackets

Made in USA with glob

al components

Streamline rack installations by replacing bulky external power supplies (wall warts)

WITH A SPACE SAVING PDU. #DCP-55

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• Compact chassis has 2 banks of 5V, 12V, or 24V outputs (16 total) • Each output is protected by a PTC fuse with auto reset for overload protection • Detachable voltage output terminals have quick-install screw terminal connectors • LED status indicators (active/inactive) • Universal input (100-240VAC, 50/60Hz) C14 power inlet and 6-ft. power cord

Lowellmfg.com | 800-325-9660

Distributed Audio, Power & Rack Solutions

SV C ON©2020 L I N E.C OMManufacturing | JU N E 20 20 | S VC 17 Lowell Company

TECH SHOWCASE

Prosocoustic BAT Series Primacoustic London 16 Room Kit

control. The unit includes a power supply wrapped Broadway panels and all required with universal input and 24VDC 2.5A output mounting hardware. This includes 48 surface and the SMGA-25 is housed in a tough steel impalers and 16 corner impalers along with chassis with a black powder epoxy finish and drywall anchors and screws. Made of 6lb. per cubic foot fiberglass, the panels exhibit mounting brackets.

Meyer Sound introduced the Constellation superior absorption. Each set is composed system several years back and in that time it of twenty-four 12in. x 12in. square scatter has seen wide adoption in a huge variety of blocks, twelve 12in. x 48in. control columns venues worldwide. It uses an array of care- and six 24in. x 48in. broadband panels. All fully placed microphones and an immersive panels have beveled edges for an attractive pattern of speakers. The microphones’ pickup 3-D look when mounted.

Prosocoustic produces their BAT Series is digitally processed and fed to the speakers in any number of delay configurations baffles in extruded polyester multi-density acoustic fabric and rock wool insulation to completely tailor the venue’s apparent for both performance and durability. acoustics and take the acoustic adjustThe panels have sewn edges and ments far beyond what is available Lowell they can be supplied with two or by moving stage shells, bass traps Manufacturing and physical absorption panels.

SMGA-25 The user can simply select the acoustic characteristic desired and push the appropriate button on a touch panel control screen.

For rooms up to 200 sq. ft.

Primacoustic can provide the London 16 Room Kit with its high performance fabric

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Meyer Sound Constellation

four grommets for mounting. Depending on the needs of specific rooms, units can be purchased in either 1in. or 2in. thickness and they can be special ordered without internal bracing. The BAT Series panels are available in a wide range of decorative colors to match any room décor. Prosocoustic produces a number of room kits, bass traps and acoustic treatment accessories.

Revolution Acoustics makes ceiling speaker installation easy for background music, paging and sound masking systems with the Ubiqui-T360 Ceiling Tile Adaptor panel. After it has been attached to an existing ceiling tile, the adaptor can house one SSP6 Multiducer. The SSP6 can be used with the RevNet 2140 amplifier which includes a customizable sound masking generator.

The Ubiqui-T360 allows the Multiducer to be mounted into an existing ceiling tile so that matching the color and style of the ceiling tiles is not a problem. No tools are required for

CUSTOMER &

SERVICE INTERFACE PANELS

TECH SHOWCASE

of human speech frequencies. The tackable 1/4in. thick units are held by a durable powder coated steel base and can be easily moved and rearranged to suit a changing office layout. Pli Oversize panels can be purchased in 47in. square or 47in. x 63in. sizes and they are available in an assortment of colors.

A recent addition to the Soft dB SmartSMS-NET sound masking products line, the single rack space RL96 Masking Controller has eight independently equalized output channels and each of them can drive up to 12 sound masking speakers. Combined on a network, the units can support much larger systems. The output channels use Soft dB’s proprietary technology to provide active volume control of the masking sound in each zone while also supporting background music and paging. When connecting the RL96 to the high power SMS-STR sound masking speakers, they produce up to 7dB sound output per speaker while being controlled through the SmartSMSNET Project Manager software.

Complete with upgraded processor sampling rate, fixed FIR taps, FIR presets and configurable FIR tap settings, Yamaha has introduced its new Active Field Control (AFC) acoustic conditioning system AFC4. The new system has replaced the previous AFC3’s parametric EQ with FIR EQ and it has expanded connectivity options with 32 mic inputs and 96 output channels. Active Field Control systems can use their multi-channel inputs, outputs and processing power to make an acoustic fingerprint of any venue and the tailor the sound of another hall to match the original space’s sound.

Revolution Acoustics Ubiqui-T360

Snowsound Pli Oversize panel

Yamaha AFC4 the installation of the panel.

For the maximum in sound absorption and arrangement flexibility, Snowsound offers the Pli Oversize system of double-sided freestanding acoustic panels. Each panel has polyester internal padding and an outer covering of Trevira CS fabric. The panels provide Class A sound absorption with NRC 1.0 (ISO 354/ASTM C423/ISO 11654) and absorb 97%

An easy connectivity solution for technicians or FOH customers, the Service Interface Panel provides a quick way to access networks from the front of the rack with RJ45/USB pass-through ports.

Made in USA with global components

QUICK-CONNECT PASS-THROUGH PORTS Plug your device in front and it's connected through to the rear interface.

• RJ45 (front) to RJ45 (rear) • USB-A (front) to USB-B (rear)

HIGH SPEED CHARGING PORTS FOR DEVICES: Five connectors for convenient powering of devices.

• • • •

AC Input 100V-240V 50/60Hz 1A QC3.0 Output (1) USB-C PD Output (1) Smart Output 5VDC (3)

NEMA 5-15R OUTLETS PLUS SURGE PROTECTION: AC outlets in front and rear.

Surge suppressor protects against surges up to 40,000A. • LED status indicator • ETL Listed (UL 60065)

Model # ACR-1507-SSI-FC Features FRONT charging ports

Model # ACR-1505-SSI-RC Features REAR charging ports

Soft dB RL96

Lowellmfg.com | 800-325-9660

Distributed Audio, Power & Rack Solutions

SV C ON©2020 L I N E.C OMManufacturing | JU N E 20 20 | S VC 19 Lowell Company

TECH SHOWCASE

MIXING CONSOLES AND AUDIO PROCESSORS

By Mary Bakija

Whether for the return of live sound, or the needs of installed sound applications, mixers and audio continue to be the heart of a range of systems and the glue. Here’s a look at some of the current options out there for selected consoles, mic mixers, and audio processors.

Allen & Heath’s 96kHz digital mixer, Avantis, is the third to be based on the company’s XCVI FPGA engine. Avantis is a 64-channel/42 configurable bus console, with twin Full HD touchscreens, extensive I/O options and processing from the company’s flagship dLive mixing system. The console’s Continuity UI supports gains and pans on the rotaries; a softkey switches to EQ or dynamics across the whole strip; and a configurable EasyGrab tab on each screen allows easy access control of aux sends, EQ, compressor and FX. While many users will choose to pair Avantis with the 48 in / 16 out GX4816 audio expander, Avantis is part of Allen & Heath’s Everything I/O ecosystem, which means it can be connected to a wide range of audio expander hardware, as well as the company’s ME Personal Mixers and IP hardware remote control-

Allen & Heath Avantis

lers. For local I/O, Avantis has 12 XLR analogue inputs, 12 XLR analogue outputs, plus AES (Stereo In, 2x Stereo Out).

Two additional I/O Ports allow Avantis to use the full range of dLive option cards, including Dante (64×64 and 128×128), Waves, gigaACE, MADI and more.

The AMX Alero ALR-AEC-8 is a dedicated microphone mixer for up to eight microphones used for conferencing apps such as Lync or Skype in medium to large meeting rooms.

It also supports VTC and audio conferencing systems. A USB audio output enables the Alero ALR-AEC-8 to be a microphone expansion unit for Enzo or PC-Based web conferencing applications, while an onboard web configuration tool allows for simple setup and configuration for users of any expe-

Ashly Audio mXa-1502

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rience level, with no PC software required.

The active adjustment of audio levels and settings means great audio quality without users having to make manual adjustments.

Additionally, acoustic echo cancellation helps eliminate echo feedback during web and audio conferences.

Ashly Audio’s mXa-1502 Mixer Amp MVP simplfies multi-zone audio. It provides four zones of mixing and DSP, plus 2 x 150W of power and programmable mic preamplifiers.

The new mXa-1502 also incorporates DSP functions on all input and output channels and can be accessed and controlled via any browser-enabled device as well as the network using intuitive Ashly software. It also provides multi-zone music distribution, paging, sound-masking and automatic mixing for a wide range of environments including house of worship, education, business, and live performance. Its GUI doesn’t require extensive tutorials or workshops to master, allowing both integrators and end users to navigate AMX Alero using any browser-enabled ALR-AEC-8 device. Further, troubleshooting and reconfiguring can take place over the

TECH SHOWCASE

Biamp TesiraCONNECT

AudioTechnica ATDM-0604

Bose T8S and T4S

ClearOne CONVERGE Pro 2 48VTD

network, delivering a reduction in onsite technical support and a quicker return to functionality.

The Audio-Technica ATDM-0604 is a six-channel automatic mixer ideal for meetings, conferences, courtroom proceedings, and other applications involving the use of multiple microphones or other media inputs.

AudioTechnica’s SmartMixer technology allows channels to be mixed automatically in gate or gain sharing mode, ensuring consistent, high-quality audio output from all inputs in a setup. Controls and LED indicators on the mixer’s front panel allow users to easily adjust input/output and gain levels; set and recall presets; turn on/off phantom power, low-cut filter, automatic mixing and acoustic echo cancellation; change IP configuration; and more. A full complement of digital signal processing is available for inputs and outputs, including parametric EQ, compressor, limiter, and feedback control. Control and monitoring tools are accessible locally on the front panel or via the Web Remote interface, which allows users to handle the adjustments from a Windows-based PC, Mac, iOS or Android device, plus make additional changes to settings.

In February, Biamp announced the expansion of the TesiraCONNECT line to include the TesiraCONNECT TC-5D. The new dual network device allows designers to incorporate both AVB and Dante into their AV solutions.TesiraCONNECT TC-5D features the same plug and play simplicity of the recently introduced TC-5 connectivity appliance and adds the interoperability of Dante. With the TC-5D, designers and integrators can easily connect and power via PoE+ both Dante and Biamp AVB devices in the same system with no configuration required.

The new appliance allows connected Dante devices to be managed using Dante Domain Manager as well as configured in Dante Controller. Once installed, the TC-5D can be monitored and maintained using Biamp’s SageVue management platform like other Biamp products. Both TC-5D and the existing TC-5 model come with five network connections, four of which are PoE+-powered RJ-45 ports that support single-cable connectivity. An additional unpowered RJ-45 port is included to easily pass all signals back to a Tesira DSP such as the TesiraFORTÉ. For more complex installations requiring greater port capacity,

integrators can daisy-chain up to four TesiraCONNECT devices. Both the TC-5 and TC-5D can mount under a table, in a cabinet, or behind a monitor The TesiraCONNECT TC-5D will be available in the third quarter of 2020.

The latest additions to Bose’s ToneMatch audio engine series, the eight-channel T8S ToneMatch mixer and the four-channel T4S ToneMatch mixer, are compact and portable.

Their enclosures have a protective, magnetically-coupled cover to protect controls and connectors. A chassis-bottom insert allows the use of standard mounting accessories to keep the mixers in reach during performances. The T8S is intuitive to operate, with illuminated, stage-friendly tactile controls, an easy-to-read display, and scene recall.

ToneMatch processing provides presets with the DSP engine, including effects and Bose zEQ equalization. The T4S offers most of the same features as the T8S, but also includes dual ToneMatch links, designed to send digital audio to L1 Model 1S/II systems while receiving power on the same provided ToneMatch cable. Last fall, the company debuted a carrying case for the T4S and T8S ToneMatch mixers compatible with the T4S and T8S ToneMatch mixers. Each case features an integrated storage compartment, with the ability to carry the power supply, ToneMatch cable and additional equipment. The mXA1502 began shipping in later April.

The ClearOne CONVERGE Pro 2 48VTD includes VoIP, Telco, and Dante interfaces in a single CONVERGE Pro 2 unit. The 48VTD pairs well with ClearOne’s BMA CT and allows integrators to simplify system designs, increasing installation flexibility and reducing costs. The four-input CONVERGE Pro 2 48VTD can also lower costs when paired with our new P-Link-based BMA CT, allowing integrators to bring a low-cost Dante interface to the BMA CT. It functions the same as ClearOne’s existing V and T offerings providing a 10-Watt amplifier, four configurable

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TECH SHOWCASE

Crest Audio XD-16 and XD-28

mic/line audio inputs, and 8 configurable mic/ line outputs. Additionally, all models are Avaya, Cisco, and ShoreTel compliant, and support built-in USB audio, and builtin Skype for Business along with interfaces for VoIP, Telco, and Dante. The VTD series works with all existing CONVERGE Pro 2 units and all existing P-Link peripheral products.

In April, ClearOne announced CONVERGENCE AV Network Manager, a unified AV network management platform to remotely monitor, control, audit and update ClearOne Pro products and services. A beta version was available to AV practitioners for their evaluation prior to this release. The new release provides efficient batch firmware updates on multiple audio and video devices at once.

Including simultaneous support for multiple CONVERGE Pro 2 and CONVERGE Huddle systems.

The XD-16 and XD-28 digital mixers from Crest Audio are small format, 2U rackmount mixers available in either 16- or 28-channel frames. XD Series digital mixers offer optional Dante networking as well as realtime remote control and monitoring from any Android, Windows, or iOS device. The range of configurations available enables use as a simple FoH mixer, a monitor mixer, a personal monitor mixer, or a combination of all three.

An integrated WiFi module enables real-time control and monitoring of the mixer processing functions, either by acting as a WiFi router for direct connection of up to four external devices for remote control, or alternatively by connecting to an external WiFi network. The optional 4x4 Dante network module allows up to eight channels (4-in/4-out) of audio streaming over a Dante network, and also extends the physical inputs of the XD-16/XD-28 by four

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DiGiCo Quantum 5

last year for the Quantum 7, are also standard on the Quantum 338.

Previewed at NAMM for delivery later this year, DiGiCo Quantum 5 follows on from the flagship Quantum aux chanDiGiCo 7. As with Quantum 7, the Quantum nels, and also Quantum 338 5 engine slots neatly into the existadds four outputs. ing SD5 frame and, with its 37 fadControl is provided via the ers and three 15-inch full-color TFT Dante Controller application.

At NAMM, DiGiCo revealed its new gen- touchscreens, provides Quantum processing eration of Quantum consoles, including the features, power, and connectivity in both new all-new Quantum 338. Quantum 338 claims and existing hardware. Quantum 5 expands a dramatic leap forward in power and connec- the SD5 to over 450 channels of processing tivity in a smaller format console. Quantum at 96kHz. It includes up to 256 input channels 338 is based on seventh-generation FPGAs with up to 128 busses and a 36 x 36 matrix. and includes 128 input channels with 64 bus- The engine is also equipped with four redunses and a 24 x 24 matrix, all with full chan- dant, or eight individual, MADI ports and two nel processing. There is a new Dark Mode DMI slots (DiGiCo Multi-Channel Interface) application and three 17-inch 1000 nit, high for AoIP and other connectivity options from brightness, multitouch screens, allowing both the complete family of DMI card options, plus the meter bridge and soft quick-select but- a built-in Waves port and up to two Optocore tons to be displayed on each screen. There loops. The popular Nodal Processing and are also 70 individual TFT channel displays True Solo features, are included, as well as 48 and the floating Quantum chassis features 38 channels of Mustard processing and 12 Spice x 100mm touch-sensitive faders laid out in Rack processing slots, including Chili 6. Like three blocks of 12 fader banks, plus two dedi- everything in the Quantum range, Quantum 5 cated user-assignable faders, each complete is developed with seventh generation FPGA with high-resolution metering. “Ultimate devices.

The Electro-Voice N8000 NetMax 300 Stadius� 32-bit ADC and DAC conversion are built into Quantum 338 as standard, along- MIPS digital matrix controller delivers full side six single or three redundant MADI con- IRIS-Net supervision, control, and schedulnections, dual DMI slots, and a built-in UB ing along with up to 32 input channels, extenMADI USB recording interface. Mustard Pro- sive DSP, and CobraNet audio and control cessing channel strips, Spice Rack plugin-tyle connections. It offers support for ethernet, native FPGA processing options, plus Nodal RS-232, USB, and CAN, and Dante audio netProcessing and True Solo, which all launched working options are available. Four slots with

TECH SHOWCASE

Electro-Voice N8000

Extron Electronics DMP 128 Plus

8-channel audio modules form the foundation for flexible customization, and each slot can house input or output cards. It includes internal 48-bit processing, and the auto-compiling DSP engine has ultra-low fixed latency. One time or regularly scheduled events can be arranged and reactions to certain events or system states can be configured. Any system problems can be detected automatically and can be displayed on the PC screen or transmitted to external sites.

Extron has released firmware version 1.02

for the DMP 128 Plus digital matrix processors. With this free firmware update, the four DMP 128 Plus C models support up to 12 independent channels of high performance AEC, up from 8 channels, with no hardware changes. The three DMP 128 Plus AT models now also support Dante Domain Manager, network management software, from Audinate. DDM enables user authentication, rolebased security, and seamless expansion of Dante systems over any network infrastructure. This firmware update adds compatibility

with the VoIP MS cloud-based VoIP system for the DMP 128 Plus V models, continuing our commitment to the widest possible VoIP compatibility. Finally, the ability to convert project files between DMP 128 Plus types has been added with this firmware and DSP Configurator Software version 2.20.

Focusrite has released RedNet Control 2.3, a free update that unifies RedNet Control with configuration, status monitoring, metering, and extended operational control of the Red 4Pre, Red 8Pre, and Red 16Line, Focus-

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TECH SHOWCASE

Focusrite RedNet Control 2.3

L-Acoustics LA-RAK II AVB

rite’s range of audio interfaces offering up to 64-in/64-out Thunderbolt I/O with Pro Tools HD and Dante net- Lawo mc²36 work audio connectivity. Focusrite RedNet Control’s “Device View” features a graphical representation of each device on the local network, giving critical feedback such as signal metering, clock status, power supply state, and primary/ tions worldwide and facilitates tour logistics inputs and outputs, offering a total capacity secondary network connection state. RedNet and cross-rental among L-Acoustics rental of 496 physical inputs and outputs. It can ship Control is customizable, which allows for partners. LA-RAK II AVB is mechanically pre-configured or custom-configured.

Lectrosonics had versatility in mind when several users on the same network to have and electronically compatible with the legacy completely different views. RedNet Control LA-RAK II and LA-RAK standards. An LA- it developed the Aspen SPN2412, with its 24 now also provides parameter control, which RAK II AVB upgrade kit will be available for inputs and 12 outputs, which can be expanded includes clock source selection, sample rate existing LA-RAK II owners for upgrade to to many more. The Proportional Gain Algorithm allows it to work seamlessly with other converter configuration, and reference level AVB. The Lawo mc²36 is natively equipped sound gear, while data, audio, and control sigsetup.

In January, L-Acoustics announced the with RAVENNA/AES67 to integrate into nals are carried through a single Cat-6 cable.

LA-RAK II AVB flyable touring rack, com- IP infrastructure. With an internal 512x512 Setup is aided by automatic master/slave prising twelve channels of amplification in a port audio matrix and integrated IO, it was detection and its automatic mixing param9U frame. Also included are three Milan-cer- designed to be a truly “universal” console, eters and presets are extensive including multified LA12X amplified controllers, two LS10 with its focus on space efficiency and ease-of- tizone mix minus configuration. The Phantom AVB switches, and power and signal distri- use. Its 21.5-inch full HD touchscreens work Mix mode lets the mixing come from multiple bution panels that are internally prewired to with touch-sensitive color-illuminated rotary zones and fed back into only those zones that offer a plug-and-play, reliable and redundant encoders to provide intuitive operation. In are selected for the feed. And with TCP/IP networked audio. Two LS10 AVB switches in terms of connectivity, the console’s interfaces addressability for control through ethernet, it a 1U space within the rack allow for seamless include 32 mic/line inputs, 32 line outputs, can be part of your network.

In January, Mackie announced a complete dual network redundancy and a full AVB eco- eight digital AES3 inputs, eight digital AES3 system from the P1 processor at FOH down outputs, eight GPIO ports, one MADI (SFP) redesign of its analog mixer series, ProFXv3 to the Milan-certified amplified controllers. If port, three RAVENNA/AES67 channels, and Professional Effects Mixers with USB. The series now includes Mackie’s Onyx mic any failure occurs on the primary audio net- a headphone jack. In addition to the onboard preamps, GigFX Effects Engine, 2×4 work, the redundant AVB network automati- I/O, a MADI tie-line connection and 24-bit / 192kHz USB recording and cally switches over with zero audio loss. Up three RAVENNA/AES67 AudioLectrosonics a new look. ProFXv3 Series mixto eight channels in one AVB stream can be over-IP ports provide future-proof passed over a single cable. As with its prede- connectivity for up to 384 external Aspen SPN2412 ers carry Mackie’s flagship Onyx mic preamps, sample rates up cessors, LA-RAK II AVB is rugto 192kHz, and up to 60dB of ged, featuring a shock-absorbing gain. The all-new GigFX Highinner frame, protective, and hanResolution Effects Engine has dling elements to facilitate trans24 effects, including reverbs and port. Compatible with any voltage delays. The built-in USB interface standard, LA-RAK II AVB func-

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TECH SHOWCASE

Mackie ProFXv3

in ProFX mixers has been a popular feature in the series; the ProFXv3 offers a professional upgrade in recording quality. Mackie’s new partnership with Avid gives ProFXv3 users benefit and value. Pro Tools | First is now included, plus the exclusive Musician Collection bundle with 23 Avid plug-ins, including the 304C Compressor and 304E Equalizer.

Users also get the Waveform OEM DAW software with their DAW Essentials Collection of

16 plug-ins.

At NAMM 2020, PreSonus released three new mixers as part of its StudioLive ARc series. The new mixers combine a multichannel 24-bit/92kHz, USB-C compatible, USB 2.0 audio interface with an analogue mixer front-end. PreSonus’s goal with the hybrid mixer is to simplify the recording and mixing process within a single console. The StudioLive Arc Mixers have newly designed

PreSonus ARc

high-headroom analogue circuits, the company’s high-gain XMAX Class A mic preamps, plus Bluetooth connectivity. RCA inputs, and a 1/8inch stereo input. The onboard SD recorder allows recording without the need of a computer or DAW. StudioLive AR8c is the most compact model in the series, offering four XMAX mic preamps and six balanced line inputs for 8×4 recording and playback, with three-band EQ and an onboard effects

TECH SHOWCASE

Roland M-5000 Series

QSC TouchMix-30 Pro

processor. The effects include reverb, delay, chorus and more, with the option to record the main mix and capture the applied effects. StudioLive AR12c offers 8 XMAX mic preamps and 12 balanced line inputs for 14×4 recording and playback, plus the effects processing and features that are present on the AR8c. The StudioLive AR16c delivers 12 XMAX mic preamps and 16 balanced line inputs for 18×4 recording and playback. Each of the StudioLive Arc mixers come with PreSonus Capture live-recording software, and PreSonus’ Studio One DAW for both Mac and Windows.

The Studio Magic Plug-in Suite, rounds out the all-in-one product.

QSC added Automatic Microphone Mixing (Auto Mix) to its TouchMix-30 Pro digital mixer. Providing two independent processors available to all of the mixer’s 24 Mic/Line inputs, the easy-to-configure and use Auto Mix function delivers advanced gain sharing capabilities for applications such as conferences, presentations, panel discussions, and theatrical sound reinforcement. The TouchMix-30 Pro Automatic Microphone Mixing feature is a component of the latest firmware upgrade, Version 1.3, available as a free download at QSC.com.

In April, QSC announces it

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RCF MZ 8060 with full audio processing, 10 programmable logic inputs (GPI), and six programmable logic outputs (GPO).

The M-5000 Series mixing consoles from Roland apply its OHRCA (Open High Resolution Configurable Architecture) to provide 128 freely definable audio paths. The mixers have expansion modules for Dante, MADI, Waves Soundgrid, REAC, XI-SDI, XI- SFP, and XI-DVI. Its patchbays can accommodate hundreds of input/output channels enabling any input to be routed to a range of outputs without using a mixing channel. The M-5000 has 24 plus 4 faders while the slightly smaller M-5000C uses 16 plus 4 faders. The operation is focused on a bright 12in. touchscreen with 16 encoders having rings that change color according to their assigned functions.

The Shure IntelliMix P300 conferencing connects up to 10 Dante audio inputs, two analog inputs, a USB soft codec, and mobile device. Each input channel can be auto-mixed and provides acoustic echo cancellation, noise reduction, automatic gain control, matrix mixing, delay, compressor, and PEQ. An additional 3.5mm connection enables attendees to join by tablet or phone, and all this fits into a half-rack space package. It connects to room systems through two input and two output terminal blocks while its ethernet connection can use PoE to eliminate a separate power supply. Additionally, a predefined matrix and presets can simplify the setup process.

Soundcraft by HARMAN offers Shure the Vi1000 digital mixing console, IntelliMix P300

is now shipping two new Axon AES67 networked audio I/O endpoints, from Attero Tech

by QSC. The A8Mio (8-channel) and A4Mio (4-channel) are interoperable, flexible and cost-effective solutions that easily integrate analog mic/line sources into a wide range of network audio applications, including the Q-SYS Ecosystem. These Axon endpoints are Power over Ethernet (PoE) capable offering a single-cable installation in a 1/2-RU (A8Mio) or 1/3-RU (A4Mio) form factor with surfacemount or rack-mount capabilities.

The RCF MZ 8060 is a versatile 8x6 digital audio matrix mixer built on the foundation of RCF’s RDNet DSP platform. RDNet is a proprietary protocol for RCF loudspeaker products that provides dedicated networking software that makes is possible to control and monitor all system components and parameters. The DSP allows for configurable system programming including room combining, automatic level control, along with all audio input and output criteria including EQs, gates, compressors, limiters, delays, priorities, and levels. The MX8060 features eight universal mic/ line inputs with six balanced outputs along with 10 programmable logic inputs and six programmable logic outputs. It features eights universal mic/ line inputs with 48V phantom power and full audio processing, six hi-level routable balanced outputs

TECH SHOWCASE

Soundcraft

by HARMAN Vi1000 a 34in. x 32in. compliment to its two larger siblings, the Vi2000 and 3000. The Vi1000 employs Soundcraft’s Vistonics II channel strip user interface, as well as SpiderCore, a built-in DSP and I/O engine based on STUDER technology, offering 40-bit floating point processing. The Vi1000 features an additional remote-control surface for any of the larger consoles in the range, using their Mirroring feature. The Vi1000 comes with rear panel local I/O featuring 16 HQ mic/line inputs, 16 line outputs, and two 64-channel expansion slots that allow up to two MADIbased Stageboxes to be connected, or alternatively the slots provide access to an extensive

range of D21m I/O option cards, that address all industry standard audio formats. Four channels of AES/EBU I/O plus USB and MIDI connections complete the back panel.

The total I/O count of the console is 212 in x 212 out.

The SoundTube IPD Hub 2 amplifier from MSE Audio is a twochannel Dante amp with DSP built-in, designed for small- to medium-sized applications. The amp is AES67-compatible and powered by PoE, PoE+ or 40W PoE. It includes an RJ45 Ethernet connection and can be used with Radio Design Labs Format A (RDL) or Attero Tech Axiom line level, mic level, balanced XLR or Bluetooth input devices — stereo or mono, virtually any input. Integrators can create a complete Dante-enabled audio system with SoundTube RVC-1 controls without using a traditional DSP. Using a decentralized DSP amplifier in each zone rather than a centralized DSP greatly reduces hardware costs making an IPD-HUB 2 networked audio system about the same price as a conventional 70/100V distributed audio system.The IPD HUB 2 Amplifier can be linked

Studer Vista 5 Black Edition

together to distribute audio over large spaces or set up to operate in up to eight zones Stage Tec’s IP-based mixing console AVATUS is a theatre console with detachable screens. In many theaters, due to structural conditions, control rooms are built such that the sound engineers cannot see over their mixing console to the stage. AVATUS offers a solution to this problem. The theatre version of AVATUS is designed so that the upper screens are removable. Since the IP console is connected via standard TCP/IP interfaces, each module has its own IP address. This enables the screens to be installed anywhere within the NEXUS network. AVATUS IPbased connections offer new possibilities for development of infrastructures. The AVATUS audio console does not have a center section and will consist of only three different modules. The console will be available in sizes between 12 and 96 faders.

Harman’s Studer Vista 5 Black Edition consol is a “budget friendly” addition to its Vista 5 line. The desk is designed to be a scalable mixing system with full processing redundancy. Based on the Vista 5 M3 mixing console, the new Vista 5 Black Edition features the Studer Infinity Core processing engine. The Studer Vista 5 Black Edition is available in 22-, 32-, and 44-fader sizes, and supports an optional TFT meter bridge. The console’s features include Studer’s Vistronics interface and FaderGlow technology, as well as the Infinity Core’s advanced capabilities such as Dynamic EQ plug-ins and full Core redundancy with up to 1,000 MEQs (Mono Equivalent Channels). The Vista 5 Black Edition supports any of Studer’s range of Infinity Core products, as well as the Studer Infinity Core Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) solution. This IT-based solution allows customers

Stage Tec AVATUS SoundTube IPD Hub 2

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TECH SHOWCASE

Studiologic SL MIXFACE

TASCAM Model 12 to run Studer’s real-time audio processing on their own server hardware by adding a standard PCIe Infinity CoreLink card.

The Studiologic SL MIXFACE is a complete MIDI and DAW Controller device, fully programmable for software and hardware instruments. Designed for mobility, the unit can be battery powered or bus-powered via USB. The SL MIXFACE is able to host any compatible keyboard to transform it into a full four zones MIDI controller and its connectivity ports enable it to communicate with the computer and other devices by using Bluetooth and USB simultaneously. The surface of the SL MIXFACE features nine faders, eight tracks, and one master, with dedicated, pertrack knobs and buttons. The usability of the controller is further enhanced by the DAW/ CTRL button, which allows users to switch the control from the DAW environment to their instrument and vice versa, all reflected on the onboard OLED screen.

The Symetrix SymVue software, for its Control Server hardware, is a server-based

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Symetrix SymVue software

enabled device — laptops, desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. SymVue’s WYSIWYG designs render in all popular web browsers and adapt to screens of different sizes, resolutions, and orientations. Parameter changes remain in sync across all networked devices including Composer, ARC Wall Panels and ARC-WEB, third-party controllers, and SymVue clients on Windows PCs. TASCAM’s Model 12 is a downsized counterpart to last year’s Model 16 and 24 devices. It is a 10-input mixer with integrated 12-track digital recorder and 12-in, 10-out audio interface. There are six mono channels, each equipped with one of TASCAM’s Ultraapplication designed to control Symetrix HDDA preamps, plus two stereo channels, the DSPs. SymVue enables custom GUIs authored latter of which includes both mini-jack and using Symetrix’ Composer running on the Bluetooth inputs for the connection of smartSymetrix Control Server hardware. Applica- phones or tablets. Each channel is equipped tion-specific control screens can be designed with a three-band EQ, low-cut filter and and tested in minutes, without writing any one-knob compressor. There is also a digital code. With SymVue deployed on Symetrix effects processor offering a range of reverb, Control Server hardware, Symetrix DSPs delay and modulation effects, plus two aux can respond to commands from any browser- outputs with individual send level controls.

The Model 12 can capture 12 tracks – the ten channels plus stereo main out – in WAV format up-to 48kHz/24-bit, directly to SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. The mixer interface can also be used as a basic DAW controller too, using the MCU/HUI protocol. Additional features include MIDI in and out, a footswitch input for triggering the recorder, a stereo sub mix output, and two headphone outs with individual level controls.

TASCAM’s Dante Compact ProcesTASCAM sor series comprises seven half-rack Dante Dante audio converters featuring Compact onboard digital matrix mixers with Processor

TECH SHOWCASE

Yamaha TF Series Digital Mixers V4.0 signal processing. These Xilica Solaro QR1 Dante-enabled input/output endpoints deliver up to 24-bit, 96 kHz audio conversion. Dante Compact Processors can be freely combined to create custom systems and are easily installed under desks or on walls with the included surface rack-mount angles or rack-mounted with the optional AK-RS1 rack shelf. All models offer the flexible routing of Audinate’s Dante controller, and are compatible with Dante AES67 mode and Dante Domain Manager. They offer remote control via GPI, Dante, and either of two free TASCAM control software applications, one for integrators and one for end users.

The Xilica Solaro QR1 is a quarter-rack Linux-based DSP processor has eight modular card slots that accept 2-channel audio input and output cards and 4-channel GPIO cards selectable as input or output. The ability to use any card type, in any combination, in any card slot maximizes I/O flexibility, and allows designers to specifically customize I/O without waste. A 4x4 Dante card is built-in. Supported by Xilica’s drag-and-drop Designer, it is compatible with various Xilica control interfaces as well as any third-party control system. External power supply included; also PoE. Optional AEC mic inputs up to 8-channels@250ms and 16channels@100ms.

The Yamaha TF Series Digital Mixers with touch-panel operation gained enhanced control and versatility with firmware update version 4.0. Firmware update V4.0 adds a Selected Channel View that provides access to the main parameters for the currently selected input channel in a single display. Combined with the mixer’s Touch & Turn Knob, this new view provides even more intuitive, efficient operation. V4.0 also adds a scene fade time function that offers new flexibility for scene management, particularly in theatrical

applications. Support for DZR-D and DXSXLF-D Series speakers has been expanded with speaker amp mute control directly from the mixer display. In January, Yamaha also released V5.5 firmware (now V5.51) for the CL/QL series digital mixers. This firmware

supports ProVisionaire Control/Touch, the latest Version 3.6.0 enabling complete control over the entire network chain, from mixers through to amplifiers (including Yamaha’s PC Series and the NEXO NXAMP4X4MK2), processors and speakers.

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AUDIO EXPERTISE

ZOOMING HIGH(ER)-QUALITY AUDIO WITH PRO HACKS ZoomAudioDevice and Pro Tools can help you keep your dignity

By Steve La Cerra

orking online from home and trying to route decent-quality audio in real time to my students is proving quite the challenge. I’ve been meeting with them using either Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom. Blackboard Collaborate provides a secure means of meeting, though the audio is pretty rough. Using Zoom, the audio is better, but neither of the systems is going to win any awards.

W

So we figure out workarounds…

One way of improving the audio quality is by using two separate audio interfaces: one for Pro Tools and another for the

Creating an aggregate audio device in Audio MIDI Setup.

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Mac OS. Outputs from the Pro Tools interface are physically patched into the Mac OS interface, enabling a Pro Tools session to route into the Mac’s audio system, which then feeds Blackboard Collaborate.

I then create a “voiceover microphone” for the audio stream by adding an aux track in Pro Tools and assigning a live microphone to the input of that aux track. This gives me the ability to comment on, or explain, something that I’m demonstrating in Pro Tools. It’s convoluted but it works. That same signal path works with Zoom, as well.

The second solution via Zoom requires more prep, also works well, and sounds a little bit better (though far from great).

The problem with Zoom is that there’s no way of changing its default sample rate of 48 kHz —which is fine if your session happens to be at 48 kHz and sucks if it’s not.

One of my colleagues shared a document from Final Final V2 describing how to route Pro Tools into Zoom using a single interface. The key to getting Zoom to run at other sample rates is in creating an aggregate audio device for the Mac OS that will enable Pro Tools to route audio to multiple destinations at the same time.

The document describes the process in detail, but there are a couple of important points. You’ll need to ensure that ZoomAudioDevice is installed on your Mac (this is the software audio path into Zoom). You then use Apple’s Audio MIDI Setup utility to create an aggregate audio device that includes your interface and ZoomAudioDevice. The aggregate device will be recognized by the Mac OS and Pro Tools.

The caveat here is to make sure that when you create this new aggregate device, you add your audio interface to it first so that

it becomes the clock source.

Once that’s established, you can add ZoomAudioDevice, and the sample rate in Zoom will follow the sample rate for the Pro Tools session —so you won’t need to hear a 44.1 kHz session played back at 48 kHz. In Pro Tools, set the Playback Pro Tools I/O Setup shows the default outputs for a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface Engine to the aggregate device (not to ZoomAudioDevice), then default the I/O settings while small “+” sign next to the PT output label, indiPro making note of the last available output. This is the output that cating that the track has been assigned to multiple This Tools track will feed audio to Zoom. In the example below, those are Outs 3-4. outputs. You’ll be able to hear your outgoing Pro is assigned multiple Normally, your Pro Tools tracks would be assigned to the Tools session via headphones or speakers while to outputs. outputs called “Out 1-2” (or something similar) so you can also feeding the Pro Tools audio to the participants hear them through the interface. A trick that some people don’t of the meeting. know is that if you hold down the Control key while clicking on Besides spending many weekends on the road at front of house, the PT output menu, you can assign a track to multiple outputs Steve La Cerra is an audio educator; over the the last month he has been figuring out ways to get higher-quality audio into simultaneously.

When you have done that successfully, you will notice a Zoom sessions and incorporate Blackboard Collaborate.

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REMOTE RESILIENCE Everything is a videoconference

ive events, worship, education, business, healthcare, and government have all been rocked, and so have the lives of people who use those spaces. Adaptation has been swift and challenging. The need to communicate and connect, and the need to fight for our lives and economy has depended on AV and IT as never before. Here are just two of so many examples—from the professional to the personal— that crossed my desk.

–Cynthia Wisehart

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For years, Custom Media Solutions, a live event video production company based in Cumming, Ga., has provided streaming coverage of The Orange Conference, an annual event in Atlanta for Christian family ministry teams, with an online presence for people who could not attend.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Orange Conference 2020 to convert from a live, arena-sized event to a three-day streaming program that began on April 29, CMS relied on its HVS-2000 video switcher from FOR-A Corporation of America to deliver a high-end production to a much larger online audience.

“We automated as much as possible using the features from the switcher,” said Marc Shroyer, president of CMS. “We had a couple of still stores with user flags and a lot of lower-thirds from the ProPresenter presentation system. We used DVEs for picture-in-picture looks that we could display on the multi-view at all times, so we could decide when to use them on the fly.”

Most of the content was prerecorded, but live hosts connected the short segments together.

Orange converted its local retail store, which was closed due to COVID-19, into three studio sets. Client cameras were used as studio cameras for the two main sets, and robotic cameras were positioned above the two sets to provide wide transition shots and a bird’s-eye view for the production crew. The third set, located upstairs and equipped with CMS’s Hitachi production cameras, hosted two live keynote presentations.

Due to social distancing requirements, CMS had to produce the event using less than half of its usual crew in its production trailer.

The coverage required 16 inputs, 10 keyers, 11 DVEs, and at least four AUX buses, Shroyer notes.

One challenge the production faced was integrating a Zoom-based game show into the live program. During the game, the video switcher received two separate computer feeds, so the TD had the option of taking the Zoom gallery display of the four players or the full-screen speaker display. The host interacted with all four players through a monitor on the set (populated by one of the HVS-2000 AUX buses), which showed the Zoom gallery display as a picture-in-picture inside the game graphics and allowed the players to the see the game board. To avoid audio feedback, a USB interface sent the mix/minus from the digital mixer to the participants.

The ProPresenter system was used for playback of the recorded content, and two keys were used to show the timers from the ProPresenter’s second display on the confidence monitors. A backup system rolled the videos on a slight time delay. Each of the two main sets had a confidence monitor, which received feeds from the HVS-2000’s AUX bus.

AV/IT SUMMIT GOES VIRTUAL Here at Future, we’re doing it too. The AV/IT Summit, which will still be held on August 6, will take place virtually on a highly visual platform that translates the experience of attending a conference to your computer screen. The virtual event will feature most of the same benefits as the inperson AV/IT Summit, including a digital conference lobby complete with exhibitor booths. There will be interactive, engaging panels with subject matter experts, as well as plenty of networking. “We firmly believe that August will be too soon for a gathering of 200-plus people in New York City, and we want to ensure the safety of our attendees, speakers, and staff,” said organizer Megan A. Dutta, content director, Systems Contractor News (a sister publication of Sound & Video Contractor). “On the bright side, having a virtual event will allow us to expand our reach and we invite integrators, consultants, technology managers, and the like from around the country to join us for a full day of education and networking.” For more info or to register, visit www.avitsummit.com.

Using the HVS-2000’s internal GPI system called user flags, the AUX bus feeding the confidence monitor would switch automatically to the second display from the backup system when necessary, so the hosts and crew always knew when the recorded content would end. The user flag would also make it switch it back to the primary stage display graphics when any other source was selected.

There were two streaming feeds; the main feed provided all programming to the Orange website, while a second feed only shared the two-hour main session to Facebook Live on April 29. At one point, the production had to cut the Thursday night feed to Facebook

Live because of potential music copyright issues.

In anticipation of that interruption, Shroyer created a GPI interface between the HVS2000 and a Clear-Com intercom system to allow switcher commands to be fired from communication panels at several stations in the production truck. From his location in engineering, Shroyer switched the AUX feed with transition to a graphic (without sound) and keyed a countdown timer from the ProPresenter system using the HVS-2000’s key over AUX function to let the Facebook Live audience know when programming would resume.

Staying connected After Cornerstone Assisted Living in Milford, MA had to close its doors to visitors due to COVID-19, the senior community naturally turned to FaceTime, Zoom, and Skype calls via iPhones and iPads to connect residents with their loved ones. However, many of the residents had to hold the device close to their face in order to clearly hear the conversation and see their families. As a result, their families couldn’t see or hear them well. Yamaha UC’s director of global marketing and communications Meghan Kennelly, whose 93-year-old grandmother is a resident of the facility, reached out to see if Yamaha could help by donating a CS-700 all-in-one collaboration system.

“Our residents are really enjoying seeing and hearing their loved ones more clearly on the big screen,” said Michelle Hamilton, director of community relations, at Cornerstone. “We are so appreciative of Yamaha’s generosity to help enhance their virtual visits with their friends and families.”

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SVC AV/IT INTERVIEW EXPERTISE

FRONTLINE COMMUNICATION Medical center depends on livestreaming to communicate to employees and the public With Bennett Liles

he Covid-19 pandemic has hit the medical community hard and real time information exchange is vital.

Focal Point Productions put their expertise in videoconferencing and livestreaming to work for Greater Baltimore Medical Center with hospital town hall meetings and live Facebook streaming with real time Q&A. Focal Company president Marty Jenoff has the story on how it came together.

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SVC: Before we get into your projects for Greater Baltimore Medical Center, tell us about Focal Point Productions.

Marty Jenoff: I got my start in video production at the age of 13 when I started doing it for fun at some friends’ parties and weddings.

My passion for video continued through high school and college, and when I graduated from college in 2000 I started Focal Point Productions with three other friends. Over the first couple of months they kind of got out of the business and pretty quickly it was just me. In the beginning, it was mostly weddings, social events, not too many corporate events. And then in 2008 when the economy tanked, the first thing to get cut from every wedding or party was video. But lucky for me that’s around the time when Facebook and YouTube started to come out and when customers wanted video for their websites. So I started doing corporate work in 2008 and in 2011 I started dabbling in livestreaming and webcasting. Now all I do is corporate events and livestreaming is a huge chunk of my business.

And how would you have known way back then that we would be in the situation we have now and suddenly people have few other ways to connect? What has Focal Point’s response to the coronavirus outbreak been?

Just before the coronavirus hit work was really busy for us. We had a lot of livestreaming jobs and corporate jobs for the rest of March, April was booked, May was really busy. We were going to have a great couple of months. But once the coronavirus hit, everything got canceled. All of our jobs got immediately cancelled, but I got an enormous amount of enquiries about livestreaming. I got

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more phone calls and more emails about livestreaming in four days than in the last six months.

Yes, that’s incredible.

Yeah. I mean, like you said livestreaming is now the only way for people to be in contact whether it’s using Zoom or Skype or WebEx or Facebook Live. That’s really the only way for meetings, for businesses to talk to their customers or their clients in a quick, time-efficient manner. So we’ve done several livestreams for one of our clients, which is Greater Baltimore Medical Center, GBMC, which is in Baltimore County. They’ve been one of our clients for a long time and we’ve done livestreams for them before. They reached out to us pretty quickly about helping them to communicate with the community and to communicate with their employees as well.

Certainly, there can’t be a higher calling than that right now because they’re the people on the front lines. What have you been doing to help their people communicate?

One of the first livestreams that they wanted our help with was to do a leadership town hall with the president of the hospital, the Chief Medical Officer, head of Human Resources, and their Infectious Control Disease Manager. To allow those people to talk directly to the nurses, the doctors, all of the staff of the hospital. They wanted to do a Q&A to kind of tell them where are we now? This is what’s happening. This is where we think it’s going to go. And then answering all of their questions. We did this first one right as things started and this hospital system has 4,000 employees. With very little notice our livestream had more than 600 viewers. So about 15-20 percent of their workforce tuned in to watch. We did our third one and had over 1,000 people watch.

More than a quarter of the employee workforce tuned in to watch live to hear what was happening.

Since it’s live, you can get them up-to-the-minute information and listen to their reactions and get the give and take between those providing the information and the medical workers making use of it. No substitute for live interaction at a time like this.

Yeah. Our client decided to use Cisco’s Webex for this. They have a great chat feature. We probably received dozens and dozens of questions and comments from employees watching and the moderator was able to follow along and was able to direct those questions to the proper person immediately. We were able to answer so many people’s questions right then on the spot only because we were doing it live.

Well, you’ve been in this at the professional level for a while.

What do you think when you see so many people trying to get into videoconferencing almost overnight?

Like you said I’ve seen tons of examples of people trying to do their own livestreams, whether it’s you seeing it on the nightly news interviewing experts or even hosts or reporters in their homes using their own setups, or more professional setups like we did for GBMC. But more often than not a lot of what I’m seeing is people doing it wrong.

And a lot of the things you can do to make livestreaming look good, they can be pretty easy and they can be pretty inexpensive, but I’m not seeing people do it mostly because they just don’t know any better.

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For audio, usually there’s no way for them to hear how they really sound and a lot of things they do that are really distracting, they don’t even notice. At least not unless they eventually get to see the recorded video.

Yeah. Audio is a really big thing where people are using the built-in microphone on their laptop computer, which is probably 12 to 18 inches away from their mouth so it sounds really bad. They’re using their laptop’s builtin camera, which is a tiny, tiny little thing which doesn’t do really well and so the image is bad. And then when you add the fact in that the camera is below their nose, so the camera is looking up and all you can see is people’s nose hairs and you can see their chins and you can see the ceiling of wherever they are. The lighting is bad. I’ve seen so many bad examples, but it only takes a couple of simple tips to improve that quality.

So what did you learn on the initial town hall event that was particularly useful in doing the rest of them?

We did the first one at the hospital’s conference center and they have a computer set up in their podium, which they use for doing all of their PowerPoint presentations in the conference center. And also they use the same computer for doing their own Webex broadcasts.

They have your typical small pan-tilt-zoom camera mounted into the ceiling and these microphones that drop down from the ceiling that they use when doing their own livestreaming. So we were able to use the Blackmagic web presenter to get our video and our audio into their computer to do the Webex and we changed over the correct inputs for the audio and the video. But one thing the staff forgot to do was to adjust the audio levels. So they had the audio levels in Webex set to their internal system and didn’t adjust it to our audio levels.

So for the first 15 minutes our audio was distorted until people watching online were able to let us know through the chat that there was audio issues. We were able to troubleshoot it to figure out what the problem was to then make that adjustment. So now we know to really double and triple check our settings in Webex.

Everything was great on our end, it was the Webex computer that had some switches that had to be configured to work well with what

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we were providing it. And then something else that is happening with Webex, and this is probably happening with virtual meetings all over the place is participants and viewers forget to mute their microphones and turn off their video cameras. So we had a lot of people with open microphones talking and we will go in and we would mute them and then for some reason they would just go back and unmute themselves. So that just creates a lot of background noise for all the other participants.

Yes, I was watching just the other night and how often do you get to see a network newscast interrupted by a dog barking in the background?

Oh, wow, yeah. I was a viewer on a livestream today and there were constantly

open microphones. And you would hear, like you said, a dog barking, a parrot screaming in the background, kids yelling while the presenter is trying to talk and it just is so distracting to them and everyone else watching. So that happens everywhere.

What’s been the response from the hospital leaders to the town hall meetings?

The leadership has really loved what we’re doing. They love the ability to talk in real time to the constituents, to their employees. We’ve done three of these so far. We’ve done one a week for the last three weeks. After we did our last one they came to us and they said they want to continue to do one of these every week for the entire month of April. So by the end of April we will have done six or seven weekly

town hall livestreams for GBMC. They’re finding that their employees want to know what’s happening and the leadership finds this is the best and easiest way to get their messaging across as quickly as possible. They’ve also asked us to kind of up our game and up the production quality of it, so we’re going to be working with them to improve lighting, improve the camera angles, improve the ambiance to give it a better look.

So in some cases, non-tech people. How do you get your clients ready to participate in one of these internal GBMC town hall meetings?

Yeah. So when a client comes to us about doing any live stream, and in specific these town halls, we really want to go over with them and find out who is involved, who’s going to be there, how many people are talking? We find out that there’s going to be a moderator and four panelists so we needed to think about camera angles, audio, microphones, audio mixer, lighting. And then we wanted to find out what distributing platform will we use. In this case, as I mentioned, they wanted to use Cisco’s Webex. And then we also want to find out how are they going to work with the questions that come in? We had over a thousand people watching our last livestream, and as you can imagine we had a lot of questions and comments coming in.

So really talking with the client to figure out how would that work? What is the flow going

to be for questions coming in? And then how is the moderator going to go through them and then to decide which panelist to ask each question to.

Of course, at this critical time, they want to be able to concentrate on the subject matter without the tech side getting in the way. How do they communicate on these events? Are there other ways that you can get questions from viewers?

For the livestreams, we receive questions in two different ways. The first was employees were able to submit their questions ahead of time via email or a web form that they would take to then give to the moderator. And then we also received a lot of questions live and in real time through the chatroom. For Facebook Live, same kind of thing. People were able to email in their questions ahead of time if they weren’t going to be able to watch it live, and then we also did get questions through Facebook in the comments section. And then again, the moderator would kind of take those and give them to the host in the order that they wanted them to be presented.

Right so let’s talk about the Facebook Live component you did for them.

We did several Facebook Live broadcasts.

In two days we did five Facebook Lives for the hospital and for the community on different topics around Covid-19. We did one about anxiety and depression. We did one on heart health. We did one on diabetes. We did one on just answering common questions related to the disease – to the virus; how you can protect yourself and things like that. And then we did one on the hospital’s obesity weight loss program. We did four of them at the hospital in their conference center and then we did one of them in our studio, which is about 20 or 30 minutes away from the hospital. So—to clarify--we did the town halls, which were just for internal employees and then we did the Facebook Lives, which were for the community in the whole.

And those are two different animals.

We did use a very similar setup for both.

We use multiple cameras. We use anywhere from two to four cameras. We use

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our Blackmagic ATEM television studio as our switcher and hub. The audio mixer and microphones – so the setup for both of them, the town hall and the Facebook Live, had a lot of similarities.

Are there specific features on the Blackmagic Design ATEM Television Studio HD that work especially well for this? What made you choose that one?

For these broadcasts, town hall and Facebook Live, we knew that we wanted to use multiple cameras. We knew that we wanted to have a wide shot, a tight shot on the moderator, a tight shot on whoever on the panel is speaking and we knew that we also wanted to use some PowerPoint slides.

So one of the great things about the ATEM Television Studio HD is it has multiple inputs. It gives us four HDMI connections and four SDI connections so it was really easier for us to connect all of those cameras and computers to the ATEM to switch back and forth. We could add in lower third titles. We could add in an opening and closing title screen for the broadcasts. It has a program output, which is our main output, which we would send to our Teradek livestreaming encoder. And then it also has an auxiliary output, a secondary output, that we can use to send a signal to a confidence monitor or another screen or monitor for the presenters or moderators or panelists to be able to see while we’re livestreaming.

OK with what you can carry in one hand, you have much of the capability of a whole TV control room.

Yeah. I have a great rackmount case which is maybe the size of a small suitcase and in there I have the Blackmagic ATEM TV studio, I have two Blackmagic recording decks so I can record a primary and a backup, and then I also have the Blackmagic Multiview monitor.

So in one case I have these four Blackmagic

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devices, which gives me a whole TV studio in one traveling case.

It was interesting hearing before about how you interface their conferencing system with yours because they do have some inhouse conferencing capability.

Yeah. So they do livestream some of their own events from there. It’s using a ceilingmounted static camera. They have microphones that drop down from the ceiling, so typically when they do things there the audio and video isn’t really great. That’s why they wanted to have us come in to do these town halls for them because it’s that important. So

the good thing for us was we did these town halls and the Facebook Lives all in the same room. We knew the room well. We know the lighting concerns. Where are the power outlets; how many power outlets are there?

Where is the Internet connection? Where do we park and unload the van from? All those things that we usually put into our site surveys, it was really easy because we’re in the same room for multiple days doing these different live broadcasts.

I noticed that you used Blackmagic Web Presenter at the output of your stream. How did you use that?

So our client wanted to use Cisco Webex for the town halls and what we use the Blackmagic Web Presenter to do is to get the HD

signal out of our Blackmagic video switcher.

We need to get that into the client’s computer and so that Webex will recognize it to do the livestream. Normally when we’re doing a livestream we’re going to use one of our Blackmagic capture cards to get into our laptop to do a livestream. But because we’re at the hospital we’re unable to connect our computers to their network so we have to use their computer to do the livestream. And their computers are your typical corporate laptops or desktop computers. They don’t have Thunderbolt connections. They can’t accept one of the high-quality Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K signals. So we have to use the Blackmagic Web Presenter, which takes, again, our SDI HD signal and converts it into USB and really tricks their computer into thinking that it’s a web camera. So Webex will then recognize that USB signal and that web camera and we’re able to use our video switcher as the input into Webex. That’s how we use the Blackmagic Web Presenter for the town halls and then we also used the Blackmagic Web Presenter when we did one of our Facebook Lives. We used that to get the video signal into one of our laptops, which we used to have our host via Skype.

So that just gets your signal into a friendlier format for them.

Exactly. So the Blackmagic Web Presenter is great because it works with any computer as long as it has a USB 2.0 connection. You can get professional video into any computer, Mac or PC. No drivers are needed.

It’s plug-and-play and it works. So when we’re using someone else’s computer that we can’t install programs on it’s great because it just makes life so much easier.

And it’s your responsibility to make sure all their graphics look right and are in the right format for the information they want to display visually.

Exactly. I’ll work with them to make sure, you know, if they want PowerPoint slides I’ll work to get that – to get a laptop to get that into the system. Like you said, lower thirds, full screens. If we’re doing Facebook Live getting

the stream key and information and scheduling and setting up the Facebook Live and doing all that so that they don’t have to worry about it.

Based on your experience in professional situations, what advice would you have for anyone trying to make virtual connections?

A couple of tips that I always give people are find a quiet room in your house. You don’t have a lot of background noise. You also don’t want to have a very busy background. You don’t want to have kids running behind you. You don’t want a bright window behind you. So pick your room wisely. If possible don’t use Wi-Fi. Try to use a plug-in hardwired Internet connection. Try to use an external microphone. Don’t use your laptop’s built-in microphone. Use earbuds or headphones so that the speakers in your computer don’t echo back and get picked back up again by your microphone. And lastly, try to lift up your computer a couple inches so that the camera in the laptop is eye level so that the camera and the viewers aren’t looking up your

nose counting your nose hairs or admiring your double chin or the ceiling in your bedroom. Lift up the camera so it’s eye level so that you’re looking straight out, not down.

The current situation is unprecedented and I would think that it is going to have a profound long-term effect on the market. What’s your take on that? What so you see coming for videoconferencing and livestreaming now?

I think the market is going to explode. I think you’re already seeing that. We’re already seeing a big jump in people using Zoom, Skype, Google Meet; all those platforms. But I think in the weeks and months ahead when things get back to normal, I think people are going to find that they really liked having these virtual meetings. I think people may still be hesitant to get out in public. People will be hesitant to go to large meetings and conferences. And I think organizers and employers are going to look to live streaming to help them reach their audiences easily and effectively for a long

time. I think livestreaming is going to see a huge jump in demand.

Especially as people get more comfortable with it and the apps get even more user friendly. People don’t want to be seen struggling with it, but as it becomes more trendy perhaps that will really open the gates.

I think you’d be really hard-pressed to find someone in the U.S. that hasn’t used one of those livestreaming platforms in the last month or so. Everyone has used one of those platforms for personal or work reasons lately.

Yes, that’s a big sudden breakthrough in uptake, and in people sort of breaking through their barriers with this out of necessity. That has very interesting prospects over the long term. Thank you, Marty Jenoff, president of Focal Point Productions for talking with us.

Thank you so much for having me. I hope it helps someone.

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SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION The SVC Interview

CONNECTED CONGREGATION A video expansion turns into a lockdown lifeline race Polaris Church in Columbus, OH had outgrown the worship space and the team was setting up an all-new facility.

The original plan did not center on streaming video but it was included in the build-out when some savings freed up from other parts of the project. Now that capability is getting the congregation through a very tough time. Phil Hagood, General Manager at InteRise and Brent Dye at Grace Polaris Church are here to give us the story on how they’re doing it.

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SVC: Philip and Brent, thanks to both of you for joining us today. Philip coming to us from Nashville, Tennessee at InteRise.

Philip Hagood: Yes, sir.

And Brent is joining us from the Columbus, Ohio area at Grace Polaris Church.

Brent Dye: That’s correct.

Alright, good to have you both on with us. We’re talking about a major renovation, a new worship space for Grace Polaris Church.

As I understand it, something very fortunate happened that wasn’t fully planned. Before we dig into the details there, Phil tell us about InteRise and Morris Light and Sound.

Philip: Yes. InteRise is a new brand name for Morris Integration, which in turn grew out of Morris Light and Sound-- a rental company that has been around for about 25 years. In the last decade, we’ve taken a new approach in how we do business. As Morris Integration we started to focus on fixed installs for AVL systems, primarily for the house of worship market. What we found is as both the brands grew--the rental side of the company, and the install side of the company--it made sense to create some differentiation in our name. So we’ve rebranded, as of the first of this year, as InteRise. We’re excited about the new opportunities that that gives us but we still continue to be the same team, the same core group and we continue to have a specific and really exciting focus on the house of worship market both in renovations and in new construction for AV systems.

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SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION This was a very big project at Grace Polaris Church. Brent, you’re right in the middle of this, being the audio guy there so what sort of worship style do they have at Grace Polaris Church?

Brent: The worship style is very eclectic. We come from a long history of traditional music as well as contemporary Christian music. We have two services and the biggest difference is just in the styles of music for those two services. The first service is more traditional, so we’ve got the full choir, orchestra; we do a lot of hymns, big orchestral numbers.

And then in the second service it’s a bit more contemporary; a worship band, worship singers. Sometimes we will have the orchestra back us up a little bit on some of those worship songs. Sometimes we just have the worship band and we may bring in a few members of the brass section just to kind of spice things up and make it fun for everybody. We’re really trying to involve as many people as possible in the worship process and we’ve got such a pool of talented people from which to draw it’s really been a blessing. We’ve been in need of a worship center renovation for a long time. The building was originally built in 1983 and we still had a lot of the same AV components. We contacted Morris because we needed something more than what just the local tech group could do for us. As we talked, they understood exactly what we needed and came up with several different options that would meet our budget and have the desired outcome for all of the equipment, sound, video, and lighting.

I think we started that process a little over two years ago in the planning stages and things are finally all in place.

Nobody could have foreseen a global pandemic with churches having to shut their doors to live attendance. The worship experience is a very social thing with a lot of physical interaction. While installing live streaming capability wasn’t the main objective, it seems now to have been a very fortunate addition.

Brent: Yes. Yes, it definitely is. It’s been a real Godsend. Before we really didn’t have proper facilities and equipment to do a quality livestream. We were still analog-based. A lot of the cameras were still 4 x 3. And so having all new equipment has been a real game-changer for us to be able to do this. What we’re doing at the moment is not actually a livestream. We are actually recording on Thursday evenings and then we do necessarily editing and post it to the web site. And then at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday it’s ready to go.

That’s a very smart thing to do because you can clean up in editing any problems with the mix or the cameras or any other technical glitches.

Phil, what was your plan for the online video component, and how did you manage to get more resources into that component before it became so essential?

Philip: Yeah, it’s an interesting question for this project and honestly many of the projects that we do in the house of worship market. It’s always that balance between the online cloud audience and the in-person audience when it comes to a worship experience. Having that engagement and having that personal connection with each other is a huge part of the corporate worship and the corporate church environment. That’s what makes

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SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION it so powerful and so important to day-to-day faith and Christianity. So in the case of Grace Polaris they’re not a church that has 30 other satellite campuses like some of the more modern churches that we see nowadays.

But they want to focus on having a really quality product inside the room.

Part of that is making sure video, IMAG, those kind of things, are done in a way that’s clear and not distracting--in a way that’s engaging. Because when you talk about a larger space, having that connection to somebody’s face and eyes in an expanded, magnified image is so important. So that was the focus to start out with. But through budget revisions and going through the typical process of a large renovation or construction project, we made sure to maintain the infrastructure and the bones, but we cut back to a very small number of cameras. We cut back to some limited functionality. Then when we got into the latter stages of the project we were able to find some cost savings inside the AV system, specifically the PA system. Also the construction project as a whole was able to find some savings. So the church pushed resources back into upgraded cameras and really making sure to utilize more of that video infrastructure that was going in. So that’s allowed us to be where we are now. And once churches are meeting back in person they’ll have a fantastic product in the space.

In the meantime, they have everything that’s needed to really push out a great product so the people can sit in their living room and connect. We’re all so used to watching Netflix or HD cable--high quality content. So when we put worship—or even work or meetings--into that home setting, the expectation can be really high. The video infrastructure allows Grace Church to push up to that quality level. If they hadn’t done this upgrade, it would have been really challenging to have good, clear communication and connection via technology.

Of course when people do eventually get back into the church they’re going to hear all of those familiar acoustics which is another kind of quality experience. Brent, at Grace Polaris how does the place actually sound? What’s the general sound system design there?

Brent: In a word the acoustics are great now. It’s so much different than what we’ve been used to. We used to have a lot of slap echo and things coming back to the performers on the stage that were delayed by oh, probably a good second and a half. And with all of the room treatments now it’s great. You can go anywhere in the room and you don’t have the flutter echoes in the corners that we used to have. It’s a quiet-sounding room, but it’s very well-balanced and it just has a very nice feel to it. I told somebody that when we first fired up the PA it felt like I was sitting in a large studio listening to very large studio monitors. And it’s really translated very well in the mixes that we’ve been getting out of there. We haven’t had a chance to get a full choir and orchestra up there so I can’t really compare with what we had before because there was an awful lot of acoustic energy coming from the stage. But right now, the stuff that we’re getting and the things that I’ve been able to record just as a reference mix have been excellent.

And we do have the Pro Tools rig hooked up to it so we can multi-track everything that comes into the console and then play that back to do virtual sound checks.

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I notice you have an Avid S6L-32D console. Why was that particular one chosen?

Brent: Well, back in 2006 we installed what was then Digidesign Venue D-Show. We’ve been using that for many, many years and just really grew to love that console. And all of our volunteers were trained on that and were very comfortable with it. I was interested in maintaining that familiarity with the software so we looked into the S6L and they’ve taken that whole Venue system to the next level and it is just a very nice console. Very powerful, great-sounding mic pres, excellent converters and it’s very user-friendly. You can walk up to it and in very short time you can be comfortable to do just about anything on that board that you need to do. There’s nothing that’s any more than two clicks away.

And how does the Ableton Live software work? How do you use that?

Brent: Well, the worship band has been using that for a number of years just giving them a click and cues in their ears. But they would send a loop to the PA so that we could just supplement what they were doing. We’re actually going to expand that a little bit and use orchestration stems with our orchestra. So if we wanted to add a little bit more to the string section we can do that. If we wanted to supplement some extra guitars or some extra percussion instruments we’ll be able to do that via Ableton. Everything is run via Dante and we have Dante Virtual Sound Card loaded on the computer that is running Ableton. Therefore we can just select what tracks we want to send to the console and we’re good to go.

OK and you have separate mixes, I assume, for the streaming and for the local house mix?

It’s somewhat separate but somewhat the same. What we’ve done is taken the stem mixes off of the subgroups of the FOH console. So we’ll have a group output for strings, brass, woodwinds, drums, bass, etc. And someone will be back in the video room on the broadcast console and they’ll rebalance what we’re sending them from FOH to help better fit the audio that’s required for the video. As you probably know, when working in the room with a lot of live instruments you may not necessarily need to push the brass that hard in the room to get it to balance with everything else. But in the video world, where they’re getting no

SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION acoustic energy from the room, they may need to boost the brass in order to make it fit in with everything else. So that’s the kind of thing we’ve done and so far it’s worked out very well.

Phil, on the installation end of this, what changes have you had to make to be sure that you can work as safely as possible during this pretty weird time?

Philip: Right. It’s a good question right now. It’s been challenging and tricky– that could probably be said for every person in every business across the world right now. But we’ve actually had our entire team grounded for about the last six weeks just in an abundance of caution to make sure that we’re prudent and not making too quick or too slow a decision. But when it comes to our team and their interaction with our clients that is the number one focus of my role and responsibility and the number one focus of our team leadership. So we’ve tried to make sure that we took adequate time to figure out the landscape of the changing world around us. Just this week some of the install crews have headed back out to continue moving forward on some of these projects, moving to some new projects around the country that are video-focused for this time. We’ve developed a protocol in line with what the CDC has put together to make sure that workers are protected or adequately monitoring and we’re giving everybody the opportunity and the equipment to make sure that they’re safe. If something does come up in the way of illness, whether it’s just a cold, the flu, or anything more serious, we’re allowing for a lot of flexibility. We can make sure people are treated if they are sick, but prevention being our number one goal right now. But yeah, making sure people have masks and hand sanitizer and they keep their workspace clean. So it’s definitely been tricky, though, to balance all that and make sure we can still serve the people we need to serve while still being safe and wise.

And Brent, I know you’re taking precautions on the production end as well.

Brent: Yes. There’s been a whole lot of Clorox wipes and Purell hand sanitizer being used. In the production booth for video, I think the guys are stationed in separate corners of the room and they’re working with a skeleton crew so they’re trying to use as few people as possible to get the job done. Back at FOH it’s not so bad. It’s a rather large booth and it’s only me and the lighting person in the booth and we’re a good 10 feet apart. So not a problem there. Musicians on stage are staying roughly six to eight feet apart and so far it’s been working very well.

How large a production crew do you have on site for streaming the services?

Brent: For the time being, because we are working with a skeleton crew, I believe there are four people in the video production booth and two people in the auditorium on manned cameras. For the audio side there is one person in video production who is doing the broadcast mix, and then I am out at FOH doing the house mix.

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Phil, let’s come back to video gear for a moment. You put in the Sony HXC-FB80 cameras and the Ross PIVOTCams. Was that decision driven by cost or features?

Philip: Yeah. Like with so many things a combination of both. The way the project started out we wanted the ability to have infrastructure for four manned cameras inside the room but also have the ability to add additional cameras in the lobby or ancillary spaces for remote connectivity in the future. So as the project went through value engineering and as we adjusted the budget we actually ended up changing back to a PTZ-focused system, the Ross PIVOTCams. We left the infrastructure for the manned cameras, but there were’nt a lot of resources put into manned cameras. As the project went on, and with the cost savings I mentioned, they were able to expand into two of the four Sony FB80 cameras as well as three or four PIVOTCams around the space to pick up some ancillary shots. The feature set of both of those cameras and the way that they work together inside of the switcher is really great and something that has been a really effective combo for us. The PIVOTCams allow direct integration with the Ross switcher and Ross Dashboard Control software, which makes it easy to operate a lot of their products together in a unified IP-based platform. And then the Sony FB80 cameras are fantastic. It’s a relatively new product for Sony, so it provides a really great 1080 image. It allows us to have that Sony kind of quality look, even at a more entry-level price point. You’re able to get a lot of the feature set of the $100,000 camera and not have to spend $100,000 for that higher tier broadcast camera platform. And then we’ve been able to make these cameras look really good together because the Ross Carbonite switcher at the central hub of the whole video system has color correctors and some of those other things as part of the software.

So we can tweak and paint the cameras. Then also on the switcher side, we make some final adjustments to really make sure you have consistent image as you cut through the cameras. So it’s really exciting how they’ve all worked together and it gives them six or eight angles to be able to

SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION

cut through, both in remote broadcast right now and then once they have people back in the room.

How did you set up the AV network?

Philip: There are a couple of different protocols we’re working with.

Most of our designs are focused on a concept of simplicity but robustness. It’s really easy for all of us that are technical people and engineers to come up with these really intricate systems and gear that can do 45 things. I would rather have one piece of gear that does one or two things really, really well. So we have a lot of interconnection between these systems that allow you to move a lot of things around, while focusing on video distribution via SDI around the facility. So that’s both inside the room, with just basic connectivity to cameras and displays, and then also outside the room to ancillary rooms, cry rooms, choir rooms, the lobby, things like that, it’s all SDI distribution with audio embedded on the SDI. The actual audio side the system is driven by a QSC Q-SYS processor. So Q-SYS has a Q-LAN protocol that allows us to also push audio around the facility by IP. We have that capability, but we’re relying more on the Dante side that’s connected directly to the console system, with Ableton and some of those connectivity pieces where we have a lot of CAT5, CAT6 infrastructure. Then lastly on the lighting side, we’re using streaming ACM through Pathway. Pathway is a manufacturer that makes a lot of different lighting infrastructure components. So that also allows distribution by IP. Basically, as long as we have fiber and CAT and network switches in the places that we need them we can get virtually anything that’s audio, video, or lighting-related connected and controlled in those different locations. However we also keep it separated enough so the number of failure points are broad. So if, God forbid, something were to fail we don’t take down the entire building, the entire system, because we put everything on one protocol. We still keep it separated enough so that it’s easy and flexible, but also really robust.

Brent, we’ve talked about how you do the services. Are there other events that are streamed in there as well or do you just concentrate on the two services for Sunday?

Brent: In the past we haven’t really done any streaming just because of the low quality, the cameras that we had. So this is really new territory for us and so far we’re very pleased with the results we’re getting. We look forward to doing some more.

Does it appear to you that the younger members of the congregation tend to take to the streaming more than the traditional members?

How has the reaction from the congregation been to this?

Brent: You know, I don’t have the hard numbers in front of me but I had heard the first week we had quite a few people that had tuned into the stream. We’ve tried to make it as simple as possible for everybody by sending out an email with a link so all they have to do is click on the link and it will take them right to the video that’s online. We’ve had a lot of people watching on their phones, others on their iPads, some on their computers and there are some that will stream it to their TV. So everybody is getting involved. I know several of the older folks are more comfortable with the computer. My parents are sitting there watching it on the computer, so yeah it seems to be working out for everybody.

Churches will be watching each other to see what ideas there are. Both installation and production will be facing some creative challenges.

Great having you both here to talk about this. Lots of questions up in the air right now. Congratulations to you both on a great job in a weird situation we have. Thanks for being with us.

Brent: Thank you very much for having us.

Philip: Yeah, thank you. We’re really grateful to be featured and really grateful for the partnership with Grace Polaris.

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PRODUCTS

DVIGEAR DN-200 SERIES The DN-200 Series offers an array of powerful features such as Fast Switching, Advanced Video Wall processing and a customizable MultiViewer engine, replacing a myriad of dedicated units. New for this year are the DN-225 transmitters and receivers, which offer both fiber and copper connectivity in the same compact, fanless form-factor as previous DN-200 Series devices. DN-225 transmitters and receivers are available now for immediate delivery.

DVIGEAR HYPERLIGHT ACTIVE OPTICAL CABLES DVIGear will also have a dedicated showcase for their expanded range of HyperLight Active Optical Cables. This showcase will host demonstrations of HyperLight products, including a live demonstration of 8K/60 DisplayPort signal extension.

Unlike traditional active extenders, HyperLight cables are capable of lengths up to 100 meters (328 ft.) with no external wiring, mid-cable powered extension, or fiber termination required. All HyperLight

cables are plenum rated (UL CMP-OF – File E471410). Constructed using a hybrid design of Polyfluorinated Optical Fiber and copper wires, they are rugged yet lightweight, compact and highly flexible, with a two millimeters minimum bend radius. To further minimize cable diameter, HyperLight docking connectors may be detached, making the cables easy to install in narrow conduits and plenum spaces. The optical video transmission path provides a very low RFI / EMI profile that allows the cables to be installed in sensitive applications with strict security requirements. HyperLight cables are ideally suited for applications that require ultra-high resolution signals to be extended over long runs with flawless image quality.

HyperLight cables are available in DVI, HDMI (4K/60), and DisplayPort 1.4 varieties. DVIGear will be introducing a prototype for a new 8K-capable HyperLight HDMI cable at ISE 2020.

Aug 6, 2020 For the first time, the AV/IT Summit is going virtual!

You’ll receive all the same benefits—killer discussions on the future of technology, manufacturer demos, AVIXA RUs—all from the convenience of your home.

Learn more and register for free today at:

avitsummit.com 48

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#AVITSUMMIT

OPEN MIC

REMOTE WORK INFRASTRUCTURE

By Lauren Simmen, AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection

echnology has enabled the rise of the home office. More businesses have taken on remote workers than ever before, as they offer flexible work schedules as a perk to acquire top talent around the country. Now, the world is staying in as we work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19, accelerating remote work sharply.

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While the work-from-home-boom caused by the virus is expected to be temporary, it’s pushed businesses to become ready to support remote working. After the travel bans and self-quarantines finally subside, businesses may be more receptive to remote working after this test-run. A recent piece in The Atlantic discussed how remote work could be viewed as the future: “People predicted that our jobs would eventually be emancipated from the office, and home would be the thrilling future of work.” For integrators, remote working as the future can become an opportunity.

The remote work boom in response to coronavirus was impromptu, but it makes us consider what a more balanced inoffice and remote work setup might look like. When we all return to work, will we have the technology foundation to support it?

Businesses need the right technology in-office to support remote work, so that teams can collaborate seamlessly from anywhere.

Multi-room conference systems or huddle spaces with interactive display and communication systems must be designed to suit the business’s needs, number of remote employees, and the space.

Integrators can seize this opportunity to expand their client base or offer new systems to existing clients; but where there’s opportunity, integrators must be cautious and must also consider how to scale and support more systems. With the right technology choices, they can set up for successful growth. Remote monitoring and a power foundation can equip integrators for success, keeping installations running smoothly. Setting up a foundation is a best practice for office installations big and small. It starts with the network, which is especially necessary today, as most systems for remote work include cloud platforms that require a strong Wi-Fi network. Other than the network, installations also need a power foundation to stay running at peak performance.

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Many clients may not realize that their power conditions can affect the performance of an AV installation. Other equipment like HVAC systems, appliances, and lighting can create power anomalies like spikes, sags, surges, and electrical noise. These anomalies occur daily in most installation environments, and if not resolved, can cause device downtime, system “ghosts,” and reduce equipment lifespan. For an integrator, this can turn into extra service calls, equipment requiring premature replacement, and loss of trust from clients. To ensure smooth installations and successful growth, integrators can establish a power foundation to protect against these anomalies. The equipment of a power foundation can vary depending on the installation size and conditions, but should include a power conditioner and multi-stage surge elimination technology.

In addition to the power foundation, analytics and remote monitoring tools can help integrators. Integrators can analyze the power conditions of the installation site before going in, to ensure that the system wouldn’t be compromised by these anomalies. For example, the SurgeX enVision unit can be plugged into any site, and will report back if there are spikes, sags, surges, and other anomalies that need to be addressed. Once integrators identify the problem, they can select a mix of power equipment to protect the conference systems, huddle spaces, interactive displays, and more. A power foundation is created to suit the size of the installation; where some systems may require backup power from a UPS, others may only need surge suppression technology. Devices like PDUs also offer integrators the ability to manage equipment in an installation with remote monitoring and reboots. For example, a power foundation for the average huddle room or flex space may comprise a SurgeX enVision unit to assess the site, and then a power protection device, whether a branch circuit or SurgeX Squid—a device that provides power protection, filtration, and surge suppression—combined with management, monitoring, and control features.

Without a solid foundation in place, remote workers could be virtually locked out of the office and important meetings. Integrators can take advantage of the changing workplace landscape, using monitoring tools and the right foundation to create a reliable and serviceable system to support the changing work culture.

Lauren Simmen is Director of Marketing for AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection

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